Lock for a carrying case

ABSTRACT

A lock for a briefcase or similar carrying case has a catch member fastened to the closure flap of the case and a receiver fastened to the front wall of the case. The catch member when locked to the receiver is flush therewith and the release button of the lock is fitted in a recess of the casing of the receiver so that no movable part of the lock protrudes from the front wall of the receiver.

United States Patent Georg Reitzel 72 Inventor 150 Field or Search .Q. .f. 292/175, Altenmitthu Kreis, Gelnhausen, Germany 334, 302; 70/67, 157 [21] Appl. No. 808,479 [22] Filed Mar. 19, 1969 References Cited [45] Patented Oct. 12, 1971 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Asslgnees E ma" 22 1,139,869 5/1915 Howard 292/175 z gzf' 'af g FOREIGN PATENTS New York N. part interest to each 166,637 7/ 1921 Great Britain 70/74 [32] Priority Apt 17, 1968 144,728 4/1931 Switzerland 292/302 Germany Primary Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr.

2A ,nj o Attorney-Plane & Baxley ABSTRACT: A lock for a briefcase or similar carrying case has a catch member fastened to the closure flap of the case [54]. E Z X CASE and a receiver fastened to the front wall of the case. The catch n g member when locked to the receiver is flush therewith and the [52] US. Cl 292/175, release button of the lock is fitted in a recess of the casing of 292/302, 292/334 the receiver so that no movable part of the lock protrudes [51 Int. I E05b 65/50 from the front wall of the receiver.

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firm/Man's LOCK FOR A CARRYING CASE The invention relates to a lock for briefcases, handbags, satchels, and similar carrying cases which are closed by a closure flap held in position by the lock.

BACKGROUND There are known and available in the market many types of locks of the general kind above referred to. The locks as known are usually self-locking and generally comprise a slide protruding from the receiver of the lock and operable for moving the catch of the lock out of its locking position. Such protruding movable component is not infrequently accidentally displaced by being caught, for instance, in a garment of the user of the case. Moreover, it is not in accord with the now often-desired smooth streamlined appearance of the lock.

THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved lock of the general kind above referred to which does not have any movable component protruding from the casing of the receiver.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved lock of the general kind above referred to, the engaging member of which is substantially flush when it is locked to the receiving member so that there is no movable part which can be accidentally caught and the entire lock presents a smooth and attractive appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The afore-pointed-out objects, features and advantages, and other objects, features and advantages which will be pointed out hereinafter are obtained by fastening to the closure flap of the briefcase, etc. an engaging member which has on its rear wall, that is, on its side facing the flap a catch member and to the case proper a receiving member which has in its front wall a first opening receiving the catch member when the lock is closed. A locking member is biased by a spring into locking engagement with the catch member when the same is received in the first opening and can be moved by a release member into a position freeing the catch member by operating an actuator accessible through a second opening in the front wall of the receiving member.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention the receiving member comprises a casing having a stepped or recessed front wall in which the engaging member is received substantially flush with the casing wall when the engaging member is locked to the receiving member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a briefcase equipped with a lock according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows the lock in its closed position on an enlarged scale,

FIG. 3 is a view of the lock similar to FIG. 2 but showing the lock in its open position,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on lines IVIV and IVa- IVa respectively of FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale, the lock being shown in its closed position,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the lock in its open position; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line VII--VII of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the figures more in detail, FIG. 1 shows a carrying case such as a briefcase to which the lock according to the invention can be advantageously applied. The briefcase has a body portion 4 and a closure flap 2 overlying the front wall of body 4 in a conventional fashion. The briefcase itself does not constitute part of the invention and should be visualized as being conventional.

The lock comprises an engaging member 3 and a receiving member 5.

The engaging member 3 is of generally U-shaped cross section as is clearly shown in FIGS. 4 to 7. It has on its rear wall, that is, on the wall facing the closure flap a catch member 8 having a laterally extending portion and terminating in a downwardly directed hook portion 8'. As is shown in the figures two hook portions 8' may be provided.

The receiving member 5 comprises a box-shaped casing 5a the front wall of which is stepped or recessed at 5b to receive therein the engaging member when the same is applied to the receiving member. As is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 the outwardly facing walls of engaging member 3 and receiving member 5 are substantially flush with each other when the lock is closed.

Casing 50 has in its stepped or recessed portion 5b a first opening 9 fitting catch member 8.

The front wall of casing 50 further includes a second windowlike opening 6 the purpose of which will be more fully explained hereinafter.

Casing 5a accommodates a leaf spring 10 which is suitably held at one or both ends in the casing as it is clearly shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. The spring is so disposed and biased that it yieldably covers opening 9 in the casing. A plate 11 made of metal or plastic is secured to the midportion of the spring and biased by the same into a position covering or substantially filling entry opening 9 for catch member 8. Spring 10 and its plate 1 1 act as ejector for the catch member and also serves to shield opening 9 against the ingress of dirt into casing 5a.

The receiving member 5 further includes a locking means 12. This locking means comprises a frame encompassing window opening 6 and has near its lower end a laterally extending bar 13. The other end of the frame structure is continued by a tongue 15. The frame is slidable within casing 50 between the raised position of FIG. 4 and the lowered position of FIG. 6. Guides 16 secured to the casing are preferably provided to effect a smooth sliding of the frame.

Casing 5a also accommodates release means fonned by a spring 14 held between the base wall 5c of the casing and bar 13. The spring urges the frame toward the position of FIG. 4.

The operation of the lock as hereinbefore described is as follows:

Let it be assumed that it is desired to lock engaging member 3 to receiving member 5. For this purpose catch member 8 of the engaging member is inserted into opening 9 of casing 50 and pressed against plate 11 on spring 10 in the direction indicated by the head at the left end of the double-headed arrow shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

As a result of such pressure the spring yields into the position of FIG. 4, and hook portion 8' of the catch member will now occupy the position of FIG. 4. Movement of the hook potion into this position frees the slidable frame 12 for movement from the position of FIG. 6 into the position of FIG. 4 by the action of spring 14 thus locking the catch member within the opening 9 and thus to casing 50 To release the lock, downward pressure is applied to bar 13 accessible through opening 6 and thus constituting a release actuator or button. The pressure returns frame 12 from the position of FIG. 4 into the position of FIG. 6. Spring 10 is now free to snap back into the position of FIG. 6 thereby ejecting catch member 8 from opening 9. Edge 15a of tongue 15 will abut against the lower edge of the spring or the plate thus preventing an upward movement of the frame structure by the action of spring 14 when the pressure on bar 13 is released.

What is claimed is:

l. A lock for releasably locking a closure flap of a carrying case to a wall of the case, said lock comprising in combination:

an engaging member and a receiving member for mounting on the closure flap and the wall of the case, respectively,

said engaging member comprising a wall portion, and a hook portion laterally protruding from said wall portion. said receiving member comprising a casing having a front wall including a front opening and a second opening; a locking member displaceable within the casing between a locking position in which a catch portion of the locking member partly covers said first opening and a release position in which said catch portion is withdrawn from said first opening; a first spring means within the casing biasing the locking member into said locking position; a second spring means disposed within the casing, said second spring means being biased toward a blocking position blocking displacement of the locking member into the locking position by the action of the first spring means; and release means operable for withdrawing the locking member into the release position, withdrawal of the locking member into said position freeing the second spring means for movement into the blocking position thereby retaining the locking member in the release position against the action of the first spring means, said locking member comprising a frame structure encompassing said second opening of the receiving member, said frame structure having an upper part forming a tongue engageable with said hook portion, said tongue constituting said catch portion, and a lower part forming a grip accessible through said second opening, said grip being included in said release means,

the hook portion on the engaging member and the first opening in the receiving member being correlated so that upon placement of the two members in coacting relationship said hook portion enters through said first opening into pressure engagement with the second spring means thereby freeing the locking member from the second spring means for movement of said member into the locking position by the action of the first spring means, the locking member in the locking position being engaged with the hook portion on the engaging member.

2. The lock according to claim 1 wherein said second spring means is positioned in registry with said first opening and biased to overlie the catch portion of the locking member in the release position thereof for retaining the locking member in said position.

3. The lock according to claim 2 wherein said engaging member comprises a casing having a front wall and a rear wall, said wall portion of the engaging member mounting the hook portion constituting the rear wall of said casing, and wherein the part of the casing of the receiving member including the first opening is set off to accommodate the casing of the engaging member so that the front wall of the engaging member and the front wall of the receiving member are substantially flush with each other when said members are placed in said coacting relationship.

4. The lock according to claim 2 wherein said second spring means is positioned and biased to engage said hook portion on the receiving member with pressure engagement upon withdrawal of the locking member into the release position, said pressure engagement ejecting the hook portion from the first opening of the receiving member. 

1. A lock for releasably locking a closure flap of a carrying case to a wall of the case, said lock comprising in combination: an engaging member and a receiving member for mounting on the closure flap and the wall of the case, respectively, said engaging member comprising a wall portion, and a hook portion laterally protruding from said wall portion. said receiving member comprising a casing having a front wall including a front opening and a second opening; a locking member displaceable within the casing between a locking position in which a catch portion of the locking member partly covers said first opening and a release position in which said catch portion is withdrawn from said first opening; a first spring means within the casing biasing the locking member into said locking position; a second spring means disposed within the casing, said second spring means being biased toward a blocking position blocking displacement of the locking member into the locking position by the action of the first spring means; and release means operable for withdrawing the locking member into the release position, withdrawal of the locking member into said position freeing the second spring means for movement into the blocking position thereby retaining the locking member in the release position against the action of the first spring means, said locking member comprising a frame structure encompassing said second opening of the receiving member, said frame structure having an upper part forming a tongue engageable with said hook portion, said tongue constituting said catch portion, and a lower part forming a grip accessible through said second opening, said grip being included in said release means, the hook portion on the engaging member and the first opening in the receiving member being correlated so that upon placement of the two members in coacting relationship said hook portion enters through said first opening into pressure engagement with the second spring means thereby freeing the locking member from the second spring means for movement of said member into the locking position by the action of the first spring means, the locking member in the locking position being engaged with the hook portion on the engaging member.
 2. The lock according to claim 1 wherein said second spring means is positioned in registry with said first opening and biased to overlie the catch portion of the locking member in the release position thereof for retaining the locking member in said position.
 3. The lock according to claim 2 wherein said engaging member comprises a casing having a front wall and a rear wall, said wall portion of the engaging member mounting the hook portion constituting the rear wall of said casing, and wherein the part of the casing of the receiving member including the first opening is set off to accommodate the casing of the engaging member so that the front wall of the engaging member and the front wall of the receiving member are substantially flush with each other when said members are placed in said coacting relationship.
 4. The lock according to claim 2 wherein said second spring means is positioned and biased to engage said hook portion on the receiving member with pressure engagement upon withdrawal of the locking member into the release position, said pressure engagement ejecting the hook portion from the first opening of the receiving member. 